The Lone Gamer

Fast Tube by Casper
Centurion? Or perhaps… Imperial?

Even though Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls V Skryim has certainly proven to be a worldwide, multi-media sensation, we haven’t really heard any rumblings of a possible game-to-film translation of adventures in the Nord homeland… well, aside from that live-action trailer made for the game posted during release. Perhaps it’s best that the fantasy realm of Tamriel remain in gamers’ minds rather than be watered-down and rationalized by some small-minded director and equally small budget. But then, apart from the many fan flicks and shorts released online and such, perhaps there’s already some existing films, which given some tweaking, may actually pass for a ‘Skyrim’ movie.

One such film, I realized tonight while watching cable, is Centurion (2010), starring Michael Fassbender (Magneto from X-Men: First Class). The action-thriller, set during the Roman occupation of the lands of the barbarian Picts (Scotland), relates the harrowing tale of several Roman legionnaires trying to reach safety as they are pursued by a vengeful force of bloodthirty barbarian hunters. Of course, we can easily consider the protagonists as Imperial Legionnaires, while their adversaries may be either extra-savage Nords or perhaps Forsworn (the more savage tribal faction of NPCs in Skyrim’s Reach region); head baddie Etain (Olga Kurylenko) certainly looks and fights like a Forsworn Ravager, complete with Dual Wielding.

Perhaps some enterprising film editor can splice together some clips and edit a bit of dialogue to include more Skyrim-ish terms and dialogue, and set the whole thing to music from the mega-hit RPG. Just a thought. Well, of course the flick could use a bit more magic, and really- with Quick Travel, would such travails be really necessary? Ah well, the pleasures of Skyrim. On the gaming side, I recently just actually finished playing through the Civil War and Main Quests for the first time EVER (yeah I know, funny), which means I actually have finally finished a game after a good long while. I still plan on playing Skyrim still indefinitely, and with more mods and Dawnguard on the way, I don’t think I’ll be taking the game off my laptop anytime soon (if ever). Heheh. Yeah, even with Diablo III’s impending release. What can I say? Best RPG ever. Really. So if you haven’t tried it yet (where were you, man?), give Skyrim a try. And to start yourself off, watch Centurion. Or not.

Avengers Assemble!!!

Comic Book Fans, rejoice. Nah, scratch that… Movie Fans in General, rejoice. The Avengers, one of the most ambitious film ventures taken- the climax anticipated and setup by at least five other major movies based on Marvel Comics’ titles- is the Real Deal. It just simply IS.
THIS is what we all wish a comic book movie can be, overcoming quite a few anticipated film pitfalls and mistakes in the past to come up with an epic two hour plus EPIC that’s smart, thrilling, engaging, dramatic, badass, inspiring AND freakin’ hilarious all in one sitting. Director Joss Whedon, co-writer Zak Penn, and their all-star cast knocks this one out of the park to bring us one of the BEST superhero films and easily THE BEST Superhero Team Film yet seen. Oh, and it’s one kick-ass action-scifi-fantasy Epic and Sure-Blockbuster. Ka-Ching!

Loki (played once again with charming yet conflicted gusto by Tom Hiddleston), the exiled Asgardian god of trickery, has allied himself with the Alien Chitauri- In return for giving him command of their forces, Loki will acquire for them the Tessaract- that Cosmic Cube-esque object of immense power first seen in the events of the Captain America movie. To counter this threat, Nick Fury (Samuel Jackson) realizes that the only hope humanity has now lies in the hands of a few, powerful but diverse individuals who must come together as a team to save the world- the Avengers.

Where can I begin? Let me say first that The Avengers straight up gives all the previous superhero movies a right cross. After five or six movies of buildup, this climactic finale (or is it a beginning?) hits the ground running. Whereas some superhero movies are top-heavy with too much dialogue and too-little action, The Avengers has action (and really good action) scattered throughout it’s length… and when there aren’t super-powered beings or super-skilled fighters tussling onscreen, there’s verbal sparring of high order as we get the customary Whedon-esque dialogue and character moments that will flesh out comic book archetypes into real, whole, believable characters or which will just straight up make you laugh out loud. That’s where this movie works and keeps working- it’s great at throwing punches, lines AND punchlines.

You’d think with a team of big names, there would be clashes on who’s the real/biggest star… well, yes and no. Yes, in the way that it’s intended to be that way, and no in the sense that thankfully ALL the heroes get their moments, their parts to shine (and even the Villain, of course, as he should) and even if you may have your favorite, it’s a Team Thing this time. But here it’s even better realized than in any previous team flick- yes, any and all the X-mens and Fantastic Fours. DC Justice League… you have your work cut out for you, if you ever happen.

Yes, Iron Man AKA Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) is still his endearingly fast-talking self with some juicy, funny lines and scenes, but that just thankfully enriches the characters he butts heads with- most directly his polar opposite, straightshooting war hero/super-soldier Steve Rogers (Chris Evans, still awesome). Anyone knowing the history between these two (well, really Cap and Tony’s dad) will just appreciate the emotions behind their interactions.
Meanwhile, ever-suave thunder-god Thor (Chris Hemsworth, also still darn awesome) doesn’t take a back seat to his two new comrades, getting quite a few pay-off scenes and moments (I heartily recommend watching the Thor movie beforehand) and nicely gets scenes that show the quiet, cool humanity within this god-among-men. Oh, and he gets one of the freakin’ funniest lines in the flick.
Watching these three, It really dawns on me how perfect and fortuitous the casting for the Marvel films have been, to score these guys in these starring roles.

Mark Ruffalo, who takes over the role of Bruce Banner AKA The Hulk from Edward Norton, was riding on a two-edged sword going into this flick. On the one hand, he didn’t have his own movie to prelude his character and comes in relatively cold. On the other hand, if he bats this right, he takes a huge bite of the flick’s bad-assery as the movie’s pay-off Butt-Kicker. To his credit, Ruffalo delivers as a very likable, earnest and fresh Banner, and he’s quietly dangerous and compelling until The Other Guy breaks out. And then… Oh My.
The HULK. The Freakin’ HULK. It took them long enough, but they got him. They NAIL the Hulk- finally show WHY he is so awesome… in this one. Perfect. SMASH. SMASH. SMASH. He’s the green gamma ray-powered non-nuclear deterrent. So, enemy worlds, take note- you may have armies greater than ours, but we have a Hulk.

Rounding off the team are the less-than-super-powered members; Natasha Romanoff AKA The Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) is SHIELD’s best assassin and agent, and even if she’s not as strong as the big boys she’s in fine form and NEVER a damsel in distress- testament to Whedon for keeping this lady badass AND smoldering hot at the same time. Give this girl her own flick.
Then there’s Clint Barton AKA Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) who made his debut in Thor. He has to contend with being sidelined as a baddie for most of the film, but when he’s good… he’s REALLY good.

Bringing up support is SHIELD- the ‘good guy’ secret army headed by Fury and captained by the always-reliable Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg, reprising his longtime role) and Agent Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), who makes her debut from the comics onto the screen. Also making its debut is a longtime SHIELD ‘accessory’ that finally um, surfaces in fine form.

So, it it all so perfect? Are there any big flaws or noticeable hiccups? Well, a couple I guess. I wish the music was more epic, and more pronounced like the score was in, say, Thor. The movie deserves that. As it is right now, the music is okay. I wish the Chitauri- Loki’s alien flunkies- were a wee bit scarier. I also wish a certain event in the film didn’t happen because I really like the character. Oh, and lastly- the 3D didn’t do a thing for me. Eeeh… this flick shines even without it.

Regadless… at about two and a half hours, The Avengers starts off with an action-packed setup even before we get to any of the actual superheroes, then liberally sprinkles action and badass fights throughout until the even more action-packed finale. But it isn’t just about action and tons of CG slickery- this film will keep you engaged even during the quiet moments, and some scenes of amazing emotion- specifically that one scene in Germany, where a man stands up to a god. Magnificent.

It’s also the simple consistency and continuity (payoffs all around for those who’ve seen all the other films in the series), the way the characters spar with each other (physically or verbally) thanks to the clever and sharp script. Amazingly, pretty much EVERYONE gets their chance to shine, to be badass when they need to be, to be heroic when they have to be, and freakin’ funny because they just are. Order the small soda so you don’t miss anything. Seriously.

This movie OutStars, OutFights, OutWits, OutFunnies and basically OutClasses all comic book movies that have come before. The bar has been raised, and we can only hope they keep shooting for the stars. They certainly shot for the stars to make this movie, and by the fates, they scored a bull’s eye.
What comes after this one? Only time will tell, but things bode well. Here’s to The Avengers continuing the fight someday, but till then THIS is here and now and goddamn that’s all we can ever ask for.

The Lone Gamer gives The Avengers 6 Marvelous Stars out of 5 (because there are 6 Avengers, after all!).

Go watch this with your friends, so you can do a Team Pose afterwards.

Fast Tube by Casper
Tekken and Streetfighter ala Mortal Kombat?!

There have been quite a few beat ‘em up-inspired indie films appearing online recently, coinciding with the just-released Streetfighter X Tekken. And quite some eye-catching productions they are! The first one above is a Jun Kazama VS Vega (Claw) fight scene, which is nicely edited with special effects and some videogame-style visuals along the way. Funny that while it mashes Tekken and Streetfighter, the overall style of the visuals resulting plus the ‘Deathmatch’ conditions seem to evoke Mortal Kombat more than anything else. The film has even caught the attention of Tekken Boss Katsuhiro Harada, who tweeted about the film on Twitter. ‘Only, Jun Kazama doesn’t use Chinese martial arts’ was one of Harada’s remarks. Well, neither does Ryu but well, those are the skills of the performers. In any case, a pretty well-done action spot.

Fast Tube by Casper
Ryu and the Mishima Bloodline clash in this moody fan film.

The other fighting game film to recently hit is Streetfighter X Tekken: The Devil Within which takes up the enigmatic link between the Devil Gene and the Satsui No Hadou. The film features some pretty well-done visuals and a moody, brooding feel as well as some hard-hitting action. Even at about ten minutes though, this will probably leave many fight fans wanting more after watching. Oh well… maybe someday Capcom or Namco will fund some of these filmmakers to make a really awesome movie based on our fave games. Or not. Perhaps that’s a good thing. In any case, enjoy these flicks for what they are, and use them to get yourself hyped for more fighting action!

Fast Tube by Casper
Max Landis and friends make a funny.

Truth be told, as much as a comic fan I am (or was), I never really got into Superman. I have many friends who see him as the Paragon, the greatest, the best, the ultimate- but he just comes off to me as okay. I liked the movies, but can’t stand that last one. Oh, and I never read the actual Death of Superman comic. Never. Which is why watching this hilarious, sorta-drunk and cameo-filled short film by young director Max Landis (son of John Landis, Director of Chronicle) relating, roasting and deconstructing the Demise and Subsequent Resurrection of DC Comics’ Flagship Superhero was not only entertaining but enlightening. Check it out. Treats include the really cheap but somehow awesome production values, the wealth of cool cameos (stay till the very end, dudes) and perhaps the best superhero film I’ve seen recently. Check it out!

My New Roommate: A Samsung 51-inch Plasma TV.

HOLY UNEXPECTED BUYS, BATMAN! That’s probably what Robin would say, if I was Batman, and he was with me today after my usual Sunday Outing. Well, I’m not Batman, nor am i anywhere near as monied as Bruce Wayne, but still, I did spend quite a bit today- albeit in the virtual currency of credit. Yep, when usually I’d bring home a trunk full of groceries and junk food, this Sunday I brought something considerably more pricey- a Freakin’ Plasma TV. To be more exact, a Samsung 51-Inch Series 5 Plasma TV.

It’s kinda funny- I meant to just look around and window shop, to look for a good set and nice prices, to look over something bigger than my 42-Incher. Next thing I knew, I was crowded in the back of the car with the thing, headed home feeling quite euphoric. Well, the price was right and I really wanted my folks to enjoy a big screen TV too (they’re getting my old set), so things happened and here we are.

This new set replaces my almost-three year-old 42-inch LG LCD, which is still a fine home theater. It’s a nice size upgrade, and I certainly can’t complain about the Samsung aesthetic- the black, sleek and slim set is definitely eye candy even when turned off. Turn it on though, and you’re feasting on rich colors, blacks and full 1080p visuals. Well, if you’re running HD content that is- which is what my PS3 and Xbox360 is for.

Anyway, reflecting my general nature of being someone who jumps into things not knowing half of what he’s doing, I found out once we were paying for the damn thing that it’s not just a big screen Plasma TV… it’s a big screen Plasma 3D TV. Who’d ever thought I’d get a 3D TV set? I haven’t tried it yet, but I will soon- those battery-powered specs look Star Trek-chic, and it should be fun… and at least the movie is Megamind, which I’ve heard good things about, and haven’t watched yet.

Thinking about it now, I’m now very much ready to enjoy Tekken: Blood Vengeance later this month, in full 3D, which should add a bit more ‘depth’ to my review (heheh). Now I think that’s a much better prospect than watching the Tekken flick on my 3DS via Tekken 3D Prime Edition early next year.

Anyways, that aside I’m looking forward to all the new games coming- namely Elder Scrolls V Skyrim and Assassin’s Creed Revelations, on my new set. How’s that for a fortuitous event? Well, it’s also kinda gratuitous but hell- I work for my money after all, so why not? So Christmas comes a little early for me (and my folks).
The only possible fly in the ointment is the danger of screen burning, though I’ve read around and that problem is isn’t really something to worry about for most users of Plasma sets these days, particularly those of newer, more modern Plasmas from high quality brands. I got a pretty new set anyway, so with normal use it should do fine.

So well, I guess I gotta go and play some games and see how they look on the new TV. As usual, this kind of thing makes everything look new all over again, which is awesome.

Fast Tube by Casper
A package chock-ful of Tekken fun!

Here’s the trailer vid for the Japanese Tekken Hybrid package, which is set for release on December 1. There’s quite a lot of new footage, particularly of the Tekken: Blood Vengeance movie, including a kinda spoilery quick glimpse of a character not for the most part known to be in the film. Of course you also have looks at Tekken Tag Tournament HD (the remastered PS2 game) and the TTT2 Demo, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Prologue. Of course, as cool as this vid is, I’ll most surely be getting either the US version (out November 22) or the Asian/EU version (release TBA). Darn, I really want to see Blood Vengeance already. Still several weeks away, but it’s coming. Slowly but surely.

Japan gamers get a more anime flavored Hybrid in December.

Tekken boss Katsuhiro Harada just posted the pic above, showing off a look at the upcoming Tekken Hybrid package for Japan, which features a case with nice artwork by artist Shunya Yamashita. I guess given how a lot of the comments about Tekken: Blood Vengeance were about it being more like an anime girl buddy movie than a straightforward Tekken movie, this look is probably a lot more fitting. Regardless, I really can’t wait to see the film for myself for all the action and CG eye candy, at the very least. The US gets its hybrid fix a bit earlier in late November. Still no word on the dates for EU or Asian releases (announcements will be made by Sony Entertainment), so maybe we’ll just have to spring for a US copy. We’ll see- stay tuned, then!

Some recent game-to-movie news. Survival Horror Hit Dead Island will be coming to theaters care of Lionsgate Films, while Warner Bros. has given MK Legacy Maven Kevin Tancharoen the Go Ahead for a Theatrical Reboot Release of Mortal Kombat.

Fast Tube by Casper
To star Adrien Brody and a CG-youthenized Dakota Fanning. Kidding.

Zombie movies are all the rage these days- will that still be the case in a couple of years, when Dead Island’s theatrical debut hits? Probably. We’ve seen so many permutations of the shuffling/stalking/running undead/infected genre (still quite a few coming, like Juan of the Dead and World War Z), so what does Dead Island have new to offer? Bikini-clad zombies is a good start I guess, but then according to a press release by the L.A. Times, the film will feature “family ties and non-linear storytelling”.

Based on that, my impression is that they’re going to take that emotional debut trailer as inspiration, which I feel is kinda off the mark. Downer films just don’t hit it with me- and really, that story of the tragic family in the ad? It’s been told, and it’s DONE. Do we need to see an hour and a half version of that? Perhaps a more tongue-in-cheek Zombieland (Zombie Island?) approach would be better.

Fast Tube by Casper
The short film that started it all.

As for the future Mortal Kombat film, Kevin Tancharoen’s web series was mostly awesome, so this is pretty great news. He’s supposedly going for ‘more realism”… well, as real as a story with ice-throwing ninja and thunder gods-in-the-flesh can be. With a bigger budget (but less than 100 million, supposedly) perhaps we can have awesome scenes in Outworld without having to resort to animated cut-aways.

With the next MK movie due in 2013 (supposedly coinciding with the next MK game), there’s really no reason to worry about this till the first trailer hits. Anything is possible, I guess. Let’s cross our fingers that this next theatrikal release avoids Annihilation.

Set those calendars, mates!

Katsuhiro Harada just announced today on Twitter that Tekken Hybrid will be released in Japan on December 1. For the US, the release date will be a bit earlier- November 22 for the Tekken Hybrid Limited Edition. As for Europe and Asia, the release date is still TBA.

As previously posted, the regular Tekken Hybrid package will include the 3D Blu-ray movie Tekken: Blood Vengeance, a remasterd PS2 classic in Tekken Tag Tournament HD and a taste of the latest arcade Tekken in Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Prologue which comes with 3D stereoscopic output and a character model viewer. The Limited Edition will include an additional art book, 2-CD Soundtrack and PSN Bonus Content.

It’s still a ways off… At this point, the biggest thing for me in the kit is the Blood Vengeance film, since it’s the freshest thing on offer. TTT HD’s almost negligible. TTT2′s already in arcades, and Prologue, playable as it is, is just a wee taste. I just wanna see some CG Nina-Anna action, now.

Captain America and The Red Skull wage war on the big screen.

And here’s the capper to the recent string of Marvel Comics-based films! At long last, the heroes who will comprise The Avengers have assembled, which will lead to one of the biggest superhero movies of all time. That said, how did this movie- Captain America: The First Avenger- hit me, and how does it stack up against the other comic book blockbusters that have come before for me?
With the exception of The Incredible Hulk (never really got into that movie), both Iron Man and Thor worked really well with me- I was never a particular fan of the comics, but I loved the heroes as they were portrayed onscreen, and now I’m invested in them and wish to see their adventures continue.

Thankfully, the same goes with Captain America. Chris Evans’ performance is a surprising turn from his previous roles, from rowdy, devil-may-care playboy rockstar Human Torch to the world’s biggest and toughest Boy Scout.
Steve Rogers is pure, unadulterated good guy- there’s no malice in this man save the righteous desire to do good, unflinching courage and straight-faced belief in truth, justice and, yes, the American Way. It’s appealing in it’s way, and just on the strength of that, I warmed up to this hero readily. There are moments in the film that make you feel good, like the big ‘test’ that finally proves who the only candidate for Super Soldiership is, the quiet moments between Steve and his mentor, Doctor Abraham Eskrine (a thoroughly enjoyable Stanley Tucci) and of course, that first and last kiss between Cap and his lady love-could-have-been, Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell).

Sadly though, there’s definitely some pacing problems as the film is very slow and kinda drags at the start. But more so, there are things that are missing or just not quite there about the movie for me- it’s a good movie, at the very least, but it’s not GREAT. For me, my favorite all-time pulp comic book superhero movie is, ironically, The Rocketeer- also a film by director Joe Johnston. That classic was never a huge hit, I believe, but for me that captured it all- the more innocent time, the period visuals and fashion, the comic book feel of gangsters and Nazis, the amazing moment when ordinary Joe gets Extraordinary Power dropped into his humdrum lap. In so many ways, The Rocketeer mirrors Captain America. And it’s because of that I see perhaps things that were missing from this new film.

For starters, the bad guys. Make no mistake, Hugo Weaving’s Johann Shmidt, AKA The Red Skull, is one scary dude. Sadly though, I never really got a feel that he’s that dangerous. Aside from offing a priest at the start of the film and looking quite cool in his Nazi overcoat and boots, the guy never really got to DO anything. HYDRA, as technologically-powerful as it is said to be, never got to do anything that would make you feel they’re scary.
The Skull and Hydra are missing their Mwahaha/Evil Moustache Twirling moment. You know that kind of thing- it’s that part where the bad guys show they mean business. It’s the Rocket Launcher toasting the L.A.P.D. Armored Car in Die Hard, and Hans ordering his men to “Hit it AGAIN.” It’s Blackout toasting the US Army Base in Katar in The Transformers. Or that one-sided attack by The Baroness on Duke and Ripcord’s convoy in G.I. Joe.

Here, it could have been at the lab where Steve gets his new life- a HYDRA attack there with ray guns could have been awesome. Or a scene where the 107th gets captured by HYDRA- but we never see anything like that. For the entire movie, we see HYDRA troopers walking around with glowing blue things but they’re paper tigers. Once the GI’s grab a couple of their guns, the HYDRA goons don’t stand a chance. At the very least, there’s no Big Henchman to give a challenge- no General Kael or Jaws to make you feel scared for the good guys.
Cap himself and his action scenes seem detached- it’s not like we’re watching him in real time, following him, but seeing vignettes of him from a distance, and just accepting that this guy is tough. I am missing that first scene where Cap gets to use his new skills and strength and earn his first big fight. Yeah, he and Skull get to punch each other at the end, but it was too little, too late. Things just seem to happen, and there are little surprises- heck, we’re actually spoiled at how the film ends right when the movie begins.

That all said, I guess I have to say that while I like Captain America (It’s a third to Iron Man and Thor), I wish it could have been more. More like Rocketeer? Maybe. At times it was slow and dragging, but there are cool scenes and Chris Evans makes for a great shield thrower. At the very least, I’m looking forward to The Avengers and that’s what really counts, I guess.